Hwang Hee-chan ended his four-month goal drought to help inspire Wolves to a 2-1 victory over relegation-threatened Luton Town at Molineux on Saturday.
Hwang opened the scoring late in the first half at the end of a lightning counterattack, his strike deflecting off Teden Mengi and nestling in the bottom corner.
A clever set-piece routine allowed Wolves to double their lead after 50 minutes as Toti Gomes nodded in from Mario Lemina's cross, though Luton set up a grandstand finish when Carlton Morris fired home.
However, they failed to find an equaliser in the final 10 minutes plus stoppage time and stay 18th, one point adrift of Nottingham Forest in 17th. Wolves, meanwhile, move into the top half with 46 points.
Luton started brightly and Ross Barkley called Jose Sa into action just five minutes in, but the Wolves goalkeeper dived to his right to palm his strike away from danger.
Hwang then made a superb run in behind as Wolves showed their teeth, but he shot down the throat of Thomas Kaminski after latching onto Lemina's throughball.
Luton should have gone ahead after 39 minutes as Jordan Clark teed up Morris, but he could only power his header into the hands of Sa.
They were made to pay just 18 seconds later as Matheus Cunha picked out Hwang inside the box. The Wolves forward cut back onto his right before shooting low, and his deflected effort found its way into the bottom-right corner.
Five minutes after the break, Lemina was found on the edge of the box from a short corner, and his sensational first-time cross allowed Toti to send a bullet header into the net.
Nelson Semedo should have made it three for Gary O’Neil’s side as he found himself one-on-one with Kaminski, but the Luton goalkeeper rushed off his line to make a strong stop.
Luton pulled one back after 80 minutes as Alfie Doughty’s cross was nodded back into a dangerous area by Reece Burke, and Morris pounced to volley home.
However, Wolves clung on through six added minutes to end their six-match winless run.
Hwang ends long wait
It’s four months to the day since Hwang last found the net in the Premier League, with injuries and international duty frustrating him since he scored twice against Brentford on December 27th.
He looked back to something approaching his best on Saturday, working the channels effectively and settling Wolves' nerves with his opener, which came after a strong start from Luton.
The victory takes Wolves into the top half ahead of Bournemouth facing Brighton on Sunday, though they remain some seven points adrift of the top seven and a potential European place.
Luton’s survival hopes dented
Luton could have climbed out of the relegation zone with three points against Wolves, but they remain in 18th place, one point behind Forest and just one clear of Burnley.
Some soft defending cost the Hatters on Saturday, and they have kept just two clean sheets in their 35 Premier League games this campaign.
With just three games remaining, Rob Edwards will be desperately hoping his side can turn things around after a tricky run, their defeat at Molineux making it three losses in a row.
Iraola sees Manager of the Season nomination as vindication of Bournemouth's work
Andoni Iraola sees his nomination for the Premier League's Manager of the Season award as something for everyone at Bournemouth to be proud of, vindicating their progress in 2023-24.
Bournemouth welcome Brentford to the Vitality Stadium for their penultimate game of the campaign on Saturday, with a top-half finish still on the cards.
The Cherries have already surpassed their previous record points haul in the top flight, accumulating 48 despite failing to win any of their first nine matches under Iraola – a run which led to suggestions he could lose his job.
However, they have been rewarded for sticking with the Spaniard, who is up against Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, Jurgen Klopp and Unai Emery in the Manager of the Season voting.
"I think it's something for the club. People think that we have done a very good season and it's good to see yourself get this kind of recognition," Iraola said on Friday.
"I think we still have a lot of room to grow and we have to continue improving because, in the end, the Premier League is very demanding.
"I think the other nominees are on another level, I would say. They are the top four teams in the league.
"It's good that a club like us receives this kind of recognition but in the same way it could have gone to Sean Dyche or Gary O'Neil, they are also doing very good jobs."
Brentford boss Thomas Frank has heaped praise on his opposite number, saying: "He's done well this season. Praise to him and everyone around Bournemouth.
"He had a tricky start and it's just another example that there are a lot of good coaches out there and that football is brutal and unpredictable.
"But the best leaders are there with a calm head and a steady hand – they keep going. They've done well in many ways, definitely."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bournemouth – Dominic Solanke
Solanke has opened the scoring in nine different Premier League games so far this season, more than any other player.
His goals have also been worth a league-high 15 points for the Cherries this term – can he fire them one step closer to a top-half finish?
Brentford – Ivan Toney
Toney has failed to score in any of his last 10 Premier League games for Brentford.
Only in his first 11 Football League appearances for Northampton Town in 2013-14 has he failed to find the net in more consecutive league games for a single team. With time running out to impress England boss Gareth Southgate ahead of Euro 2024, he needs to end his drought.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
Brentford's last two Premier League games have seen them lose 1-0 to Everton and draw 0-0 with Fulham. They have not failed to score in three or more consecutive league games since a run of four in March and April 2019.
The Bees have, however, kept a clean sheet in their last two away league games against Bournemouth, last doing so on three consecutive visits between 1991 and 1994 in the third tier.
The Cherries are winless in their last six league games against Brentford since a 1-0 Championship victory back in August 2014, drawing two and losing four.
With little of substance on the line, it would be no surprise to see this one fizzle out into a draw.
Bournemouth have only won their final home league game in one of the last four seasons, beating Millwall in the Championship in 2021-22 but losing their other three in that span.
Brentford, meanwhile, have seen four of their last seven Premier League matches finish level, their only defeat in that run coming at Goodison Park two weeks ago.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bournemouth – 32.6%
Brentford – 39.1%
Draw – 28.3%
Guardiola shrugs off Rodri's Player of the Season snub ahead of Fulham trip
While Pep Guardiola feels Rodri was deserving of a nomination for the Premier League's Player of the Season award, he expects the midfielder to shrug off that rejection and stay focused on the title race.
Rodri was surprisingly omitted from the eight-man shortlist for the league's top individual prize when it was revealed on Thursday, with team-mates Phil Foden and Erling Haaland making the cut.
That is despite the Spaniard playing a key role as City chase an unprecedented fourth straight league title, and three wins from their last three matches will ensure they edge out Arsenal to retain their crown.
Ahead of Saturday's trip to Fulham, where City have a chance to go top of the table before Arsenal face Manchester United on Sunday, Guardiola said there was no doubt over Rodri's importance.
"He has been one of the best. The nominated players deserve it, other players also deserve it. The winner of the trophy will deserve it, and the ones who don't will too," Guardiola said.
"We know what we think of the importance of him, how magnificent and extraordinary he is as a player. He should not be worried about it.
"When I won [Manager of the Season], it's because we won. It's because your team won a title, won games. The award is not for me – I didn't play one minute."
Fulham caused a stir earlier this week when their social media accounts posted a video of some players flying kites during a training session, sparking fears among Arsenal fans that the mid-table side may be 'on the beach'.
Boss Marco Silva, however, insists that is not the case, saying: "They had one moment after training. It's not even a case to be talked about.
"I have been asked, as we say in England, whether the players are going to be on the beach. It's not the case. If my players are a little bit relaxed, I am the first one to put some pressure on them."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fulham – Rodrigo Muniz
Fulham's recent drop-off in form has coincided with the goals drying up somewhat for Muniz, who will be looking to return to form on Saturday.
He scored eight times in eight Premier League appearances through February and March but has since netted once in his last six – in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace last time out at Craven Cottage.
Manchester City – Rodri
Rodri has assisted six goals in his last eight Premier League appearances, including two last week against Wolves.
City have not lost any of their last 47 Premier League games in which the Spaniard has featured, the fourth-longest unbeaten run any player has ever recorded in the competition.
MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN
City have won their last 15 meetings with Fulham in all competitions. It is the joint-longest winning run any team has ever managed against another in competitive English football history, with theCitizens also having 15-game sequences against Bournemouth and Watford.
Fulham have only won one of their previous 15 home Premier League games against City (five draws, nine defeats), winning 2-1 under Chris Coleman in November 2005.
They have also gone three home games without victory, drawing with Crystal Palace and losing to Newcastle United and Liverpool in what represents their worst run on home soil this season.
With City unbeaten in their last 20 Premier League games (16 wins, four draws), it's difficult to see a surprise taking place on Saturday.
Guardiola's champions have been truly rampant in recent weeks, winning their last six league games while netting four or more goals in five of them – against Aston Villa (4-1), Palace (4-2), Luton Town (5-1), Brighton and Hove Albion (4-0) and Wolves (5-1).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Fulham – 15%
Manchester City – 61.7%
Draw – 23.3%
'The owners have common sense' – Ten Hag not worried about Man Utd future
Under-fire Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is not worried about losing his job at the end of the season, saying Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have too much "common sense" to sack him.
Ten Hag has faced fierce criticism throughout a dismal season for the Red Devils, who are languishing in eighth in the Premier League table and are in danger of missing out on European qualification.
Monday's crushing 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace was United's 13th in the Premier League this season – their most in a league campaign since 1989-90 (16) – and their 18th in all competitions in 2023-24.
They last suffered more in a single campaign in 1977-78 (19), while their overall tally of 81 goals conceded this term is their most since 1970-71 (82).
With the club preparing to enter a new era after handing control of football operations to minority shareholder Ratcliffe, Ten Hag's future has been the focus of much speculation.
On Friday, the Dutchman was asked if he felt his job could be under threat even if United beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 25.
"No. The owners have common sense," he replied.
"You see we have had 32 different backlines, we've used 14 partnerships at centre-back. When they see we don't have a [fit] left back, they know that will have a negative impact on results.
"It’s a huge FA Cup final. We are happy to be there. It can be a highlight for us this season.
"We know the reason we are underperforming is because of injuries. No team will perform when you have so many injuries in key areas."
Asked if he felt any unease about the fact INEOS had not made a public statement in support of him, Ten Hag said: "This question you have to make to the owners, not to me.
"It's my job to speak to you. I don't care if they do or they don't. I am working on improving and developing my team."
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